This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24158153
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| EU police officer killed in Kosovo | EU police officer killed in Kosovo |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A European Union police officer from Lithuania has been shot dead in Kosovo, the first casualty since the EU took over security in 2008. | |
| The Eulex mission condemned the "act of cowardly violence" and said a murder investigation had been launched. | The Eulex mission condemned the "act of cowardly violence" and said a murder investigation had been launched. |
| It said two vehicles carrying six staff members had come under fire while on patrol in the Mitrovica area of northern Kosovo. | |
| The town of Mitrovica is split between ethnic Serbs and Kosovo Albanians. | The town of Mitrovica is split between ethnic Serbs and Kosovo Albanians. |
| "At approximately 07:30 local time (05:30 GMT), two vehicles carrying six staff members came under fire in the vicinity of Zvecan town," Eulex said. | |
| "No effort will be spared in bringing the perpetrator to justice." | "No effort will be spared in bringing the perpetrator to justice." |
| A spokeswoman for the EU mission, Irina Gudeljevic, told the BBC it was the first time a member of the Eulex force had been killed. | A spokeswoman for the EU mission, Irina Gudeljevic, told the BBC it was the first time a member of the Eulex force had been killed. |
| Mission head Bernd Borchardt said in a statement that the man who died was a customs officer with a wife and family. "I am shocked at the callous nature of the murder," he said. | |
| EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said she was deeply saddened by the death. | |
| Tensions | Tensions |
| The attack took place on the road between Mitrovica - 36km (22 miles) from Kosovo's self-declared capital, Pristina - and the town of Jarinje, Serbian news agency Tanjug reported. | The attack took place on the road between Mitrovica - 36km (22 miles) from Kosovo's self-declared capital, Pristina - and the town of Jarinje, Serbian news agency Tanjug reported. |
| Mitrovica hospital sources told Tanjug the victim had been admitted in an unconscious state with bullet wounds at about 08:00 (06:00 GMT). Doctors tried to revive him for an hour, but without success. | Mitrovica hospital sources told Tanjug the victim had been admitted in an unconscious state with bullet wounds at about 08:00 (06:00 GMT). Doctors tried to revive him for an hour, but without success. |
| Vehicles from Eulex and local Kosovo police were deployed around the hospital. Police also restricted access to the area of the shooting. | Vehicles from Eulex and local Kosovo police were deployed around the hospital. Police also restricted access to the area of the shooting. |
| Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and the Eulex mission took control of police, justice and customs services. | Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and the Eulex mission took control of police, justice and customs services. |
| Tensions have since persisted in northern Kosovo, which has a sizeable Serbian population. | Tensions have since persisted in northern Kosovo, which has a sizeable Serbian population. |
| However, Kosovo and Serbia signed an EU-brokered deal on normalising relations in April this year, providing considerable autonomy to Serb-majority areas. | However, Kosovo and Serbia signed an EU-brokered deal on normalising relations in April this year, providing considerable autonomy to Serb-majority areas. |
| Municipal elections are scheduled to take place in Kosovo on 3 November. | Municipal elections are scheduled to take place in Kosovo on 3 November. |